Environment

Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:26 UTC
Brazil's powerhouse bank

With his slicked-back hair, neatly trimmed, close-cropped beard, and impeccably pressed suits, Luciano Coutinho looks like any other obscure Brazilian banker.
But he is anything but an average banking man.
Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:15 UTC
MSC's toothfish certification proposal criticised

Scientists and environmental groups criticised the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) last week for proposing the certification of Ross Sea Antarctic toothfish. The certification is being recommended by UK-based Moody Marine, the organisation chosen by Ross Sea fishers and accepted by the MSC.
Saturday, November 28th 2009 - 05:19 UTC
Coconut ban in Rio beaches, but what about cans and bottles?

One of the enduring images of Rio's beaches -- coconuts opened to yield their milk -- is about to become a thing of the past. The environment secretariat of the host city of the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games says the big green fruit is an unhygienic eyesore and is banning its sale from December first.
Friday, November 27th 2009 - 11:39 UTC
Amazon region call on rich nations to fund preservation of forests

Nine nations in the Amazon region have called on rich countries to provide poorer nations with the funds to preserve forests. The nations, meeting in Manaus, Brazil, also discussed supporting a 40% reduction in global emissions by 2020.
Friday, November 27th 2009 - 11:32 UTC
Irish company plans to invest 1.6 billion USD in wind farms in Chile

Irish energy firm Mainstream Renewable Power hopes to invest 1.6 billion US dollars in coming years to extend its Chilean wind farm operations. The firm is currently exploring the feasibility of building nine new wind farms across the country, local executive Jose Ignacio Escobar revealed this week.
Friday, November 27th 2009 - 11:16 UTC
Norway opens world’s first osmotic power plant prototype

Norwegian renewable energy giant Statkraft has switched on the world's first osmotic power plant prototype - using a technology which produces electricity from a process which mixes fresh water and salty sea water.
Friday, November 27th 2009 - 11:12 UTC
El Niño Cranks Up The Heat This Summer

Summer is coming to Chile in less than a month and climatologists predict thermometers will be rising more than usual due to El Niño, the warm ocean current that wreaks havoc on the climates of countries along the Pacific Ocean.
Thursday, November 26th 2009 - 07:51 UTC
Argentina contracts icebreaker for Antarctic 2009/2010 campaign

Argentina’s Ministry of Defence announced the contract of an icebreaker and a helicopter for the coming 2009/2010 Antarctic campaign. The news was published in the government’s official bulletin and involves almost 8 million US dollars.
Thursday, November 26th 2009 - 05:28 UTC
Future algae bio-fuel production confirmed in southern Chile

United States corporation Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) has founded a subsidiary, BAL Chile, through which the company has already begun cultivating 100 hectares of seaweed on the island of Chiloé, with the aim of producing bio-fuel.
Wednesday, November 25th 2009 - 06:00 UTC
On the 150th anniversary of “On the origin of species”, Darwin’s missing notebook

Charles Darwin's encounter with the first of the two creatures that would provide him with the early clues for his theory of evolution was not a dramatic one. “Met an immense Turpin; took little notice of me,” the 26-year-old jotted in his notebook in 1835.